Legislative Session, Week 12

Filing deadlines are here at last! The Senate filing deadline was last week and House members got an extra week. House members were able to file bills up until this past Friday at 5pm. What does this mean? No NEW bills will be filed! Legislators will work on passing the bills already filed before crossover deadline on May 16th. Any bill that has not made it completely through one chamber (ie the House OR the Senate and sent to the other chamber) will not be considered until short session (May 2014). What happened this week?

HB 971 A Family for Every Child/Foster Care. This bill establishes the Family for Every Child Foster Care Initiative to improve permanency outcomes for children in foster care. Funds will be appropriated for Adoption Promotion Fund and Permanency Innovations Initiative.

HB 981 New MHDDSA Region and Psych. Hospital. This bill appropriates money for a new psychiatric hospital to be built in the south central region of the state to accommodate their growing population and needs.

SB 122 Sex Trafficking/Sex Offender Registration. This bill passed both the Senate and House and will now be sent to the Governor. Anyone charged for trafficking a minor and anyone charged with trafficking an adult with intent that they be held in sexual servitude will have to register on the Sex Offender Registration list.

SB 712 ID Card For Homebound Persons. This bill passed the Senate and was sent to the House. This legislation would direct the DMV to establish ID Cards for homebound persons.

HB 589 VIVA. This bill was heard in House Elections Committee this week and a few changes were made including allowing persons with disabilities to vote without an ID. As the bill stands now, anyone who is able to go to the polls has to have a form of ID. This bill will be heard next week in Appropriations. To see more of the voting related bills filed, see this document by Democracy, NC.

HB 543 MHDDSA Providers As Uncompensated Guardians. This bill passed the House Committee Jud. A and was referred to Health and Human Services. The bill allows providers of MH/DD/SA services to serve as uncompensated guardians to unrelated clients.

SB 594 Require Drug Testing/Work First Benefits. This bill passed out of Senate Health Care and will be heard Monday night on the Senate floor. Please contact your legislators and let them know you are OPPOSED to this legislation! Anyone applying for Work First Benefits would have to pay for a drug test upfront. If they pass the test, they will be reimbursed through the benefits. Anyone that fails the test has to pay for substance abuse treatment and wait a year before applying again.

SB 687 Involuntary Commitment Custody Orders. This bill passed out of Senate Health Care and was referred to Jud. II. This bill allows a faxed involuntary commitment custody order to a petitioning designee at a 24 hour facility when the respondent is already at the facility.

SB 91 Prohibit Expunction Inquiry. This bill passed the Senate and was sent to the House. This bill clarifies licensing laws- once an record has been expunged, a person can reapply for their license that they may have lost. It also prevents employers from asking a potential employee if they have an expunged record.

HB 75 Kilah’s Law/Increase Child Abuse Penalties. Passed the House and Senate and was sent to the Governor for signature. This bill increases child abuse penalties.

HB 217 Criminal Law/Procedure Amendments. This bill passed out of committee and was sent to Appropriations. Section 7 (now Section 4 and 6) about juveniles was amended. It will only apply to 15 year olds charged with Class B1 through Class B2 crimes.